1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an audio socket connector, and particularly to an audio socket connector having a colored ring for strengthening and identifying the connector.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, an audio socket connector for transmitting audio signal comprises an insulative housing with a mating head extending forwardly therefrom for mating with a mating plug connector. The prior art of this kind of socket connector is disclosed in Taiwan Patent Nos. 461617 and 427559, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,074,218, 6,234,833 and 6,050,854. U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,833 discloses a stacked audio connector assembly comprising three electrical connectors 2, a grounding terminal 50, a first group terminal 51 a second group terminal 52, a third group terminal 53 and a first side cover 41 and a second side cover 42. The first group terminal 51, the second group terminal 52 and the grounding terminal 50 are mounted on the first side cover 41. The third group terminal 53 is mounted on the second side cover 42. Each connector 2 has a front projection 210 extending forwardly from a housing 20 thereof. Because a mating plug connectors is frequently inserted into or pulled out one of the electrical connectors 2, the front projection 210 and the housing 20 are subjected to a high stress. Furthermore because the electrical connector 2 is slender, the housing 20 and the front projection 210 are weak in structure. A junction between the front projection 210 and the housing 20 is the weakest part which is most likely to be broken due to the stress induced by the insertion/withdrawal of the mating plug connector into/from the audio socket connector.
Furthermore, when more than one audio socket connectors are needed to be used together in an electrical apparatus, the housings of the socket connectors are made of different colored plastic materials thereby facilitating a user to connect different audio systems of the apparatus through the connectors. The housings made of different colored plastic materials are expensive; accordingly, the connectors have relatively high cost.
Therefore, it is necessary to have an improved audio socket connector which has a reinforced housing structure and a low cost regarding color labeling.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an audio socket connector having an increased strength in its housing structure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an audio socket connector with a color identification of low cost.
In order to achieve the objects set forth above, an audio socket connector of the present invention comprises an insulating housing, a plurality of terminals received in the housing and a ring. The insulating housing has a mating portion at a front end thereof, and a sleeve projecting from the mating portion for guiding an insertion of a plug of a mating audio plug connector into the socket connector. A ring assembled onto the sleeve has a color different from that of the housing. The ring is used as a color labeling for the connector.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.